Saturday letters

Published: Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 6:53 p.m.

Good Medicaid choice

As a doctor I congratulate Gov. Rick Scott for his decision to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid. The federal money has already been set aside to expand preventive and life-saving health care to hard-working Floridians.

The governor has shown real leadership on this issue. Washington is willing to finance the expansion 100 percent through 2016 and in 2017 it will cover no less than 90 percent of the cost.

This means the women and families I see would get the help they need to stay healthy, with little cost to the state. It would also save millions of dollars in taxpayer money here at home.

In the next weeks and months, the state Legislature has the opportunity to join the governor in making our state healthy and more financially secure. I sincerely hope they do, because frankly, this is too good an offer to pass up.

Sujatha Prabhakaran, M.D.

Vice President

of Medical Affairs,

Planned Parenthood

of Southwest and Central

Florida

Yes to Walmart

We should say thank you, Walmart, for selecting the Ringling Boulevard site and for agreeing to so many adjustments! Currently, the shopping center is decayed, obsolete, creepy and deserted.

Wishing something else is only that, whereas Walmart has a plan and it is not for a suburban big box. It is for a new, urban Walmart -- how innovative!

Is it perfect? No. Does everyone love Walmart? No. Is it the best we can do? No -- but it is a plan and, when completed, will be legions ahead of what is there now. It will be Ringling's clean, new and alive entrance to downtown -- a segue to our multimillion-dollar courthouse, beautiful housing and the bay.

Let's stop bickering or we will wind up with another empty lot that resulted from unrealistic dreams, pays close to nothing in taxes and serves no community purpose. Let's come to terms with Walmart and start looking forward to a new idea for downtown Sarasota -- one that will be thriving, safe and available to all -- at all times!

Joyce Mintzer

Sarasota

No to Walmart

As a resident of Paver Park, I urge the City Commission to uphold the vision of neighborhoods so eloquently stated in the city's own comprehensive plan. A planning board decision to allow a new Walmart supercenter at 2260 Ringling Blvd. violates clearly defined zoning regulations. The impact of a Walmart open for business 24 hours a day, seven days per week will be devastating to our way of life. The elected commissioners must exercise power to protect citizens from this proposed inappropriate construction.

If a new Walmart is built, surrounding affordable businesses may not be able to compete with the big box store. Traffic will increase. Access to our beloved Payne Park is in doubt. The neighborhood will get noisier and busier. Why jeopardize our safety with so much unwanted activity? Walmart's promise of low paying jobs is not a fair trade-off.

We embrace any new business that will enhance the area where we live but we are determined to retain the integrity of our neighborhoods by opposing Walmart.

Marilyn Eckberg

Sarasota

Raise minimum wage

To survive in America, minimum-wage workers below the poverty line -- many working for large corporations -- need food stamps, free school lunches and the use of emergency rooms for health care. All of these are paid for with taxpayer money. In other words, the taxpayers are supplementing wages of workers employed by large corporations who have just had a profitable year and whose CEOs earn millions.

Raising the minimum wage would shift the above cost from the taxpayers to where it belongs: on private enterprise, whose huge profits have come on the backs of its workers.

Small business will be hurt but that is remedied by giving it the same kind of tax breaks that we give to the oil companies, et al.

Raising wages does not necessarily raise prices. To stave off competition corporations will absorb the costs and still remain profitable, as they have done before.

As history has shown, getting money into the pockets of working Americans is the best, if not the only, way to end a recession. The resulting increase in revenues will eventually eliminate the deficit.

Sheldon Maskin

Anna Maria

Sequester sense

Why is the president misinforming the public by campaigning against $85 billion in spending cuts against a $3.6 trillion outlay? The amount to cut is no more than a period in the Obamacare Health law.

His and the Democrats' act is an embarrassment to the entire world.

Emanuel DeCoveny

Bradenton

A 'wolf' too far

"Wolf!" cries the president. "Wolf!" cries Congress.

Over and over these leaders act more like characters in a child's fairytale than those elected by the people to enforce the laws of our land.

The debt ceiling will crash! The sequestration will destroy us all!

"No, it won't," insist pundits.

In unison our president and House leader Boehner point fingers at the other while insisting, "It's all his fault!"

When will the people get fed up enough with this baloney to toss all the old dogs out and bring in fresh pups with fresh ideas?

Frankly, I don't believe anyone in Washington, D.C., at this time. They have yelled "Wolf!" so often, if and when the real one shows itself, no one will react and we will all perish from the childishness of the president and Congress.

<p>Good Medicaid choice</p><p>As a doctor I congratulate Gov. Rick Scott for his decision to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid. The federal money has already been set aside to expand preventive and life-saving health care to hard-working Floridians.</p><p>The governor has shown real leadership on this issue. Washington is willing to finance the expansion 100 percent through 2016 and in 2017 it will cover no less than 90 percent of the cost.</p><p>This means the women and families I see would get the help they need to stay healthy, with little cost to the state. It would also save millions of dollars in taxpayer money here at home.</p><p>In the next weeks and months, the state Legislature has the opportunity to join the governor in making our state healthy and more financially secure. I sincerely hope they do, because frankly, this is too good an offer to pass up.</p><p>Sujatha Prabhakaran, M.D.</p><p>Vice President</p><p>of Medical Affairs,</p><p>Planned Parenthood</p><p>of Southwest and Central</p><p>Florida</p><p>Yes to Walmart</p><p>We should say thank you, Walmart, for selecting the Ringling Boulevard site and for agreeing to so many adjustments! Currently, the shopping center is decayed, obsolete, creepy and deserted.</p><p>Wishing something else is only that, whereas Walmart has a plan and it is not for a suburban big box. It is for a new, urban Walmart -- how innovative!</p><p>Is it perfect? No. Does everyone love Walmart? No. Is it the best we can do? No -- but it is a plan and, when completed, will be legions ahead of what is there now. It will be Ringling's clean, new and alive entrance to downtown -- a segue to our multimillion-dollar courthouse, beautiful housing and the bay.</p><p>Let's stop bickering or we will wind up with another empty lot that resulted from unrealistic dreams, pays close to nothing in taxes and serves no community purpose. Let's come to terms with Walmart and start looking forward to a new idea for downtown Sarasota -- one that will be thriving, safe and available to all -- at all times!</p><p>Joyce Mintzer</p><p>Sarasota</p><p>No to Walmart</p><p>As a resident of Paver Park, I urge the City Commission to uphold the vision of neighborhoods so eloquently stated in the city's own comprehensive plan. A planning board decision to allow a new Walmart supercenter at 2260 Ringling Blvd. violates clearly defined zoning regulations. The impact of a Walmart open for business 24 hours a day, seven days per week will be devastating to our way of life. The elected commissioners must exercise power to protect citizens from this proposed inappropriate construction.</p><p>If a new Walmart is built, surrounding affordable businesses may not be able to compete with the big box store. Traffic will increase. Access to our beloved Payne Park is in doubt. The neighborhood will get noisier and busier. Why jeopardize our safety with so much unwanted activity? Walmart's promise of low paying jobs is not a fair trade-off.</p><p>We embrace any new business that will enhance the area where we live but we are determined to retain the integrity of our neighborhoods by opposing Walmart.</p><p>Marilyn Eckberg</p><p>Sarasota</p><p>Raise minimum wage</p><p>To survive in America, minimum-wage workers below the poverty line -- many working for large corporations -- need food stamps, free school lunches and the use of emergency rooms for health care. All of these are paid for with taxpayer money. In other words, the taxpayers are supplementing wages of workers employed by large corporations who have just had a profitable year and whose CEOs earn millions.</p><p>Raising the minimum wage would shift the above cost from the taxpayers to where it belongs: on private enterprise, whose huge profits have come on the backs of its workers.</p><p>Small business will be hurt but that is remedied by giving it the same kind of tax breaks that we give to the oil companies, et al.</p><p>Raising wages does not necessarily raise prices. To stave off competition corporations will absorb the costs and still remain profitable, as they have done before.</p><p>As history has shown, getting money into the pockets of working Americans is the best, if not the only, way to end a recession. The resulting increase in revenues will eventually eliminate the deficit.</p><p>Sheldon Maskin</p><p>Anna Maria</p><p>Sequester sense</p><p>Why is the president misinforming the public by campaigning against $85 billion in spending cuts against a $3.6 trillion outlay? The amount to cut is no more than a period in the Obamacare Health law.</p><p>His and the Democrats' act is an embarrassment to the entire world.</p><p>Emanuel DeCoveny</p><p>Bradenton</p><p>A 'wolf' too far</p><p>"Wolf!" cries the president. "Wolf!" cries Congress.</p><p>Over and over these leaders act more like characters in a child's fairytale than those elected by the people to enforce the laws of our land.</p><p>The debt ceiling will crash! The sequestration will destroy us all!</p><p>"No, it won't," insist pundits.</p><p>In unison our president and House leader Boehner point fingers at the other while insisting, "It's all his fault!"</p><p>When will the people get fed up enough with this baloney to toss all the old dogs out and bring in fresh pups with fresh ideas?</p><p>Frankly, I don't believe anyone in Washington, D.C., at this time. They have yelled "Wolf!" so often, if and when the real one shows itself, no one will react and we will all perish from the childishness of the president and Congress.</p><p>Margie G. DiGiovanni</p><p>Sarasota</p>